


Imperial Assault - Twin Shadows: Maak Eshka and Vendri DeRalm

by Keldorian



Series: Imperial Assault [1]
Category: Star Wars: Imperial Assault, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 07:37:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6845200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keldorian/pseuds/Keldorian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snippets from Maak and Vendri's past told through short scenes and holographic recordings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Background Summary

**Author's Note:**

> Maak Eshka: http://imperial-assault.wikia.com/wiki/Mak_Eshka'rey_(Hero)  
> Vendri DeRalm: https://eotecrew.obsidianportal.com/characters/vendri-deralm  
> Bothan: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bothan/Legends  
> Duros: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Duros/Legends

\- Maak Eshka’rey was born on the Bothan homeworld of Bothawui, 25 years ago  
\- He was raised in the high-ranking Orey clan, taught the Bothan Way, and taught to be a spy for the clan  
\- While he was decent at the hacking and hidden observation part of being a spy, he wasn’t really good at taking on different personalities  
\- As a result he trained himself to put up a taciturn/aloof front so that he can’t be easily read  
\- He was also good at working with and fixing mechanical and electronic things  
\- Maak’s personality didn’t suit the life philosophy of the Bothan Way so at around age 20, he decided he wanted to travel and live on other worlds  
\- When Maak told the Orey clan of his life plans, they felt he was a disgrace and exiled him from the clan  
\- Afterward, Maak shortened his name to Maak Eshka since he was no longer part of clan Orey  
\- He travelled to a few dfferent worlds in the next few years, taking on odd jobs and not staying very long on each  
\- After a while, he travelled to Takodana and found work in a repair shop where he repairs weapons, communicators, holographic recorders, etc  
\- The owner of the repair shop, Razi Klee, is a tall Omwati who is an expert sharpshooter and helps Maak perfect his blaster skills  
\- The repair shop is located in a town/settlement some distance from Maz Kanata’s castle  
\- After a couple weeks working there, Maak meets a Duros named Vendri DeRalm who comes in regularly to get his equipment repaired  
\- Unlike a lot of Duros, Vendri is cheerful, kind, and sincere  
\- Vendri lives in a small outpost building at the edge of the forest, some distance from the town  
\- He is a wildlife and landscape holographer who travels a lot to other worlds, but comes back to Takodana regularly  
\- Maak and Vendri start talking after Vendri visits the shop a few times, and they slowly get to know each other and become close friends over the next few years  
\- Being around Vendri encourages Maak to let his guard down and learn to trust and empathize with people  
\- Maak sometimes visits Vendri at his outpost house when he returns from his holographing work  
\- Eventually Vendri lets Maak rent/stay at the outpost house in the spare room since Vendri is usually off-world  
\- Sometimes Vendri asks Maak to come with him on contracts to help him and maintain/fix his equipment while on assignment  
\- Occasionally they run into trouble with Imperial soldiers who want to confiscate Vendri’s equipment/specimens, but Maak manages to bribe their way out of it  
\- Vendri becomes increasingly bothered by the Imperials’ harrassent and interference in his work- before he met Maak, Imperials confiscating and destroying some of his equipment/specimens cost him money as well as a few clients

\- One day Maak is working at the shop and is expecting Vendri back on Takodana and to come to the shop at a certain time, but Vendri doesn’t show up  
\- Maak gets a bit worried because Vendri is rarely late and would usually call him on the communicator if he was  
\- After work, Maak takes his speeder back to the outpost house to see if Vendri is there  
\- No one is at the house, but Maak finds Vendri’s gear scattered on the floor and Vendri’s personal holographic recorder on the table  
\- The recorder plays a cryptic message where Vendri says that he must leave on an important mission, and Maak is a bit upset and becomes really worried about Vendri  
\- Maak thinks that Vendri joined the rebels, so he goes to Maz Kanata’s castle to find someone to take him to the rebels  
\- Maak joins the rebels to try and find Vendri

—————

Skills and abilities:  
\- mechanical ability  
\- can access Bothan Spynet at some risk  
\- can move around unseen in wilderness terrain

Possible contacts:  
\- repair shop owner (willing to help because Maak did good work, but Maak will owe her)  
\- old friend in Bothan Spynet who still likes Maak (Maak helped him out of trouble when they were younger, they did favours for each other regularly)


	2. Missing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time: Present day
> 
> Omwati: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Omwati  
> Takodana: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Takodana

The sun began to set as Maak screwed the last metal plate into place on the transmitter. He was finally done after having spent the day fixing a multitude of devices both large and small at Razi Klee’s repair shop where he worked. The Bothan stood up and stretched his arms, then began methodically packing up all of the tools and locking them away. Razi, the shop owner, was meticulous and would notice if anything was even an inch out of place, and Maak was looking to avoid a lecture from her tonight.

He paused for a moment and glanced across the counter at his communicator. It had not sounded all day, even though he had been expecting a call. Maak looked out the window at the fading light, then back again at the communicator with a slight frown.

_Vendri should have come to the shop by now._

“You quite done yet?” a lilting voice asked sternly from behind him. Maak quickly turned and looked up at the imposing Omwati towering over him. Her chiseled face and piercing eyes held a look of disapproval as she noticed the tools still left to be put away.

“Ah… I’m almost done, Razi,” Maak replied and hurried through the rest of his duties. He called a goodnight to her as she retreated to her living quarters beyond the doorway at the back of the shop, then picked up his communicator and headed outside. Maak rounded the side of the building to where his speeder was parked near the wall. Leaning against it, he flicked the button on the communicator restlessly, trying to contact Vendri. There was no response, only silence.

 _Is he in trouble?_ Maak was becoming worried. _Maybe he's back at the house. Maybe he just forgot to call. Maybe he went to sleep._ But that was unlikely. Vendri would have called Maak to let him know if his plans had changed. He was always reliable like that.

It had been two weeks since Vendri left for the Dagobah system. As a wildlife holographer his contracts often took him to remote and unpopulated worlds, but he would return to Takodana when his work was done, to the small outpost building that was home to both of them. Maak headed there now, his speeder skimming lightly over the grassy hills, until he reached a low domed structure at the edge of the forest.

The windows were dark when Maak approached the front of the house. He quickly typed his passcode into the keypad on the wall, turned the handle, and pushed against the metal door. As it swung open into the dimness, Maak called out hesitantly, “Vendri? Are you there?” He turned the lights on.

An unexpected sight greeted him as he stared at a mess of crates and equipment piled in the middle of the floor. The Bothan felt a growing sense of apprehension, checking the rest of the rooms for any other sign of his friend. Vendri was gone, and it was uncharacteristic of him to have left his holographic equipment in such a state. Something must have happened to him.

Maak sank into a chair, at a loss for what to do. It was not until he looked up moments later that he noticed a small hexagonal disc sitting on the table nearby. He recognized it as Vendri's personal recorder.

Vendri never went anywhere without it.

Maak picked it up, and hoping for any clue to where his friend was, pressed the button to play back the most recent message.


	3. Vendri's Goodbye (Recording)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time: Present day

_Vendri's face appears as a holographic image projected above the recorder._

_"Maak, I am sorry I did not contact you before this, as my communicator was damaged before I returned to Takodana. I have been asked on an important mission and I must leave immediately, though I cannot tell you the details..."_

_The Duros lets out a soft sigh before continuing._

_"It has become more difficult in recent years for us to live our lives and do our work. I hope that in the course of this mission I can make things right and give us a better future. I apologize for not being able to tell you this in person. You may stay at the outpost for as long as you wish. I... do not know when I will be able to return."_

_Vendri looks away for a moment with a sad expression. Then he turns back to the recorder._

_"Thank you for all that you have done for me these past few years- your friendship has meant a lot to me. Be well, and I hope to see you again someday."_


	4. New Journey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time: Present day
> 
> Razi's blaster rifle: http://imperial-assault.wikia.com/wiki/Longblaster  
> Maz Kanata: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Maz_Kanata

“Maak! What's wrong with you?”

The sharp voice startled Maak and he sat upright, nearly dropping the blaster he was working on. He looked down at his lap and realized he had been trying to fix the wrong part of the weapon for a good ten minutes.

Maak groaned and rubbed a hand across his eyes. He had stayed up late to sort through Vendri's holography equipment and put it all safely into storage. After that he tried to sleep but the worry and anxiety kept him up through the night.

Razi was still standing there with her arms crossed, giving Maak a hard stare. He looked up at her warily, knowing that he would have to tell her about Vendri, and better sooner than later. She had a soft spot for the Duros who had been visiting her repair shop regularly for many years.

“Vendri's gone,” Maak winced.

“What?” she snapped.

“He left me a message on his recorder. He didn't say where he was going.”

“Let me see it,” Razi said, walking over to stand beside his chair. Maak reached behind and unclasped a chain from around his neck. Hanging from it were two hexagonal recording discs, one of which he removed and placed on the counter, pressing a button on the side of it. They were both silent as they watched the holograph play, and remained so for several moments after it ended.

“That damn fool has gone to join the rebellion,” Razi finally hissed. “He got tired of all that bullying from the Imperials.” She shook her head in disbelief. “The battlefield is no place for him. Vendri hates to kill.”

Maak took a deep breath, then stood up and turned to face the tall Omwati. “I'm going to find him,” he said steadily, looking up at Razi. Her eyes narrowed as she studied his resolve, then she stalked over to a large cabinet behind the counter. Unlocking it, she pulled out a long-barrelled weapon and tossed it to the Bothan.

“Take this. You will need it where you are going.”

Maak leaned forward to catch it, and was surprised at its light weight. It was a sporting blaster with several modifications for balance, accuracy, and firepower. Illegal modifications, of course.

“It is an older one, but it works well,” Razi said as he continued to inspect it.

Maak looked up again. “You're going to let me go?”

“You care for him,” she replied bluntly. “But you will owe me when you return. If you survive long enough.” He groaned at that.

“Go to the pirate castle,” Razi instructed. “You can ask Maz Kanata for anything else you need. Tell her I sent you.”

Maak gave her a slight bow in gratitude. “Thank you for everything.”

“Stay alive out there,” she said as she turned and walked away, her voice lacking its usual harsh edge. “And bring Vendri back safe.”

Maak gathered his things and left the repair shop for the last time. He would ask Maz for help and then find his way to the rebels, but what happened after that? He knew there was a dangerous and uncertain road ahead of him, and could only hope that he would find Vendri at the end.


End file.
